The story: A gym user can set their 4 digit combination to be whatever they choose. When they are using this lock, they will usually remember to scramble the numbers while they are at the gym, but will often forget to scramble them when they leave for the day. Another gym user can then make a note of the 4 digit code and come back at the same time and place the next week to break into the locker and steal their belongings.

Design Process: AEIOU

Possible solutions and implications:

When the user closes the locker, there is a sign posted reminding the user to scramble their numbers. This may cause the users to worry about theft in their gym or for the users to doubt the validity of the lock they just used.

When the user closes the locker, the lock automatically resets to 0 or to a blank number so that the next user cannot see what the original user’s code was. If the lock were to fail to reset the code, the user can easily see that it didn’t happen and can reset or scramble it themselves.

There can be a manual scramble lever that will protect the user’s code. This requires the user to know of the lever and to know to use it after every use. This could also be used in conjunction with the automatic scrambling.

Users can bring their own lock to the gym, but that requires the gym to change the lock system and to own a lock

Locks can be key-based, but that requires the gym to change the lock system and to posses a key.

Proposed intervention:

The lock company should have an automatic-clear of the code every time the locker closes in conjunction with a manual lever to clear the numbers. The company can also include instructions on the inside of the locker so that the users know to manually override the clear if the locker doesn’t automatically do that. This way, the company doesn’t have to take blame if the locker was broken into and the user’s belongings stay safe.